DL fee increase discussed by county

Tuesday

Nov 7, 2017 at 12:01 AM

By Kelly BreckunitchNewton Kansan@KansanBreck

Seeing the current driver's license service fees being charged by multiple counties around the state led the Harvey County Commission to revisit is own discussion of a potential increase on Monday, with the impending end of the two-tiered fee system (for county and out-of-county residents) at the end of the year. For more than one commissioner, those figures painted a surprising picture.

Of the 28 counties that responded to an inquiry from Harvey County Treasurer Becky Opland, the average fee — fees charged to help recover the costs of issuing licenses and identification cards — was calculated to be around $2, ranging from no charge on the low end to $5 on the high end. Neighboring Butler County is one charging the highest rate, while Marion County's fee is set at $3.

Currently, there are 74 limited service driver's license offices in Kansas counties and 37 full service state offices (including in Butler County and exclusively so in surrounding McPherson, Reno and Sedgwick counties), the latter of which do not charge service fees for driver's licenses.

The sunset of the two-tiered fee system was brought about following an agreement drafted by the Division of Vehicles and Kansas Department of Revenue that Opland signed last fall, and while there was discussion about raising the license service fee a significant amount to break even in terms of revenue, that has not routinely been the case at the Harvey County driver's license office.

In the past five years, revenues at the Harvey County office have come in above expenditures just once (in 2014). The other four years — with 2017 estimates included — expenditures have outpaced revenues by an average of $28,600.

Fees began being collected by the county in 1992, when the state-run office in Newton was shut down. Since then, there have been only two fee changes —with an increase from $2 to $3 in 2003 and the implementation of a $20 out-of-county fee in 2013.

Out-of-county fees have generated more revenue for Harvey County in the past two years, but the majority of driver's license transactions have been by in-county residents.

With the elimination of the two-tiered fee system, there was a question of finding a balance between the county offering a service while maintaining a revenue stream. With out-of-county residents seeing more benefits in moving away from a two-tiered system, that also raised some issues..

"I just don't feel it's right we have to give that service to people who don't pay taxes here," Hague said.

Though the elimination of the two-tiered system would provide a steep cut for out-of-county customers at face value, both Opland and County Administrator Anthony Swartzendruber voiced doubts that would lead to a significant increase in traffic from such customers overall, especially as Harvey County is already the busiest limited office in the state.

Given the intent to offset some of the revenue decline and stay comparable to surrounding counties, while seeing Butler County charge a fee and also have a state office in county, the commissioners came to an initial consensus of a slight raise to put forth in a resolution to be drafted by county administration.

"I think we just go with $5 and call it good," said commissioner Chip Westfall, "and hopefully we don't have to look at this for a few more years."

In other business, the county commission:

Was notified of a tour of Budde Enterprises' new facility that commission staff was invited to on Nov. 17.Received a proposal from the Kansas Association of Counties regarding changes to the by-laws, specifically in relation to representation on its governing body.Heard from ICM about the potential of renewing its lease (which expires at the end of the year) for its gasifier at the county landfill. Commissioners suggested keeping the same terms and writing up a one-year lease with a one-year option.Learned of the sheriff's office accepting initial terms on a new five-year contract with the U.S. Marshals regarding fees for services pertaining to federal inmates, with a new rate of $71 (an $11 increase) per day for housing federal inmates and $28.50 per hour for transport of said inmates.Received an update on flu vaccinations, with Health Department Director Lynette Redington noting vaccinations given are already up 200 compared to last year, with 1,000-plus being administered in total.Was notified by county clerk Rick Piepho that 772 advanced votes had been tallied through Saturday and a 30 percent overall turnout is expected for the 2017 election, up from 21 percent turnout two years ago.Received a report from Redington on the annual Kids Count, which gives a snapshot on the well-being of children and families in Kansas. In Harvey County, there have been a lot of positive indicators for children's health, as Redington pointed out the total percentage of children in poverty, on free and reduced lunch, without insurance, etc. is down.Following an amendment to the Pictometry agreement for aerial photography presented last week, relocating four high-resolution sectors along the southern part of the I-135 corridor to cover the Newton City/County Airport instead, the commission agreed to proceed with the contract at the same cost ($73,689.50) as previously presented — as it is a project commissioners agreed was long overdue.Approved an insurance agreement with KCAMP for contribution credit and rate stabilization program through 2020. Under the current agreement, premiums on the property and liability coverage provided by KCAMP went down 1.67 percent in 2017 and would be capped at a 2.25 percent maximum increase in 2018 and a two to five percent increase over the final two years of the contract (with a $13,460 credit to also be subtracted from the 2018 contribution).Heard a report on third quarter finances from Director of Finance Dan Bronson, who noted current actual year-to-date figures on both revenues and expenditures are right on track with what was estimated by county administration.Discussed initiating a Post Offer Employment Testing program to better gauge potential employees' abilities to meet all the requirements of specific job openings, as well as offering other benefits to the county.

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